Archive for May, 2011

I wasn’t really going to preview the Sunday at the Acoustic Tent, because I didn’t really fancy anything, but then I read the article about the tent on the official website and had to put something more on the blog. It’s a great article and makes me feel shit that I haven’t been in the past couple of years. I do remember the Portishead debacle, we didn’t go see them because the rumors all day was that it was just getting more and more packed and you wouldn’t get a sniff of seeing them, seems that was true. Headlining on Sunday is Suzanne Vega and I am sure she will be great. Deacon Blue headline the Saturday a real blast from the past. Now though what was previoulsy only pencilled in, Newton Faulkner on the Friday is a definite. I plan on going for dinner and a few beers and spend a nice leisurely Friday evening there. Now I just have to work out hoe to get there.

I haven’t reviewed the Avalon Stage previously, but as stages go it’s pretty good, and would be a 2nd stage at a lot of festivals. On the Friday, Kt Tunstell, The Beat and Barenaked Ladies are playing which is pretty impressive. On the Saturday one of my Favorites Newton Faulkner returns to the stage after a well received performance last year, but the Sunday is without parallel.Opening up on the Sunday are Emerging talent finalists Louise and the Pins check them out at http://flyingwithanna.wordpress.com for more information and a video of them.Also early on are one of my all time favorite bands The Wombles. I actually saw them live when I was about 8, I hope I was about eight because any older than that and that admission becomes a bit embarrassing. The Wombles writer Mike Batt sure knows how to write a tune, and I am sure that the place will be packed to the gills. Later in the evening areThe Low Anthem and City and Colour and again I think the place will be packed for 2 of the more interesting bands from the other side of the Atlantic.The Avalon Stage has outdone itself this year, I really hope I finally make it here to see someone this year.

Sunday doesn’t hold a candle to the other days as far as bands go, but it still manages to have a few gems hidden away, not least 2 pearlers early on at the JP Tent. That is Foster the People whose album I am loving at the moment, they have that Mgmt feel to them, I think they will completely slay the crowd which will head nicely on to some real rock moments with The Joy Formidable. It should be a cracking couple of hours. Also playing the JP Tent a little later on will be The Vaccines. I think I will have probably have missed them on the Friday due to a clash, so will be looking forward to this with I imagine loads of people saying how awesome they had been on The Other Stage on the Friday. The Streets close off the JP Tent for the week, and they should have the place rocking.

A bit of a mixed bag on my favorite main stage for the Sunday. Dan Mangan starts the proceedings, I stopped off to see him open the JP tent on the Sunday last year but wasn’t that impressed. Clare Maguire is up next, to me she is the least talented of the female singers that have arrived on our doorstop in the last year or two. I haven’t seen the Cold War Kids but know loads of people who rate them and Noisettes are not my cup of tea. So it’s Bombay Bicycle Club who will probably be the first band I will trot up to see on the Sunday on the Other Stage, I loved their last album which is acoustic, so will be interesting to see how they go on the big stage. Like Laura Marling a more intimate stage would have been preferable although they have their rockier sound to fall back on. I will give TV on the Radio a miss and also The Eels. I must admit a guilty pleasure for the Kaiser Chiefs who have a great back catalogue and some fabulous tunes, and what a contrast to Beyonce we have headlining, QOTSA, I never thought I would write that abbreviation in my Glasto blog. Anyway I am told that they are awesome live and it’s not worth listening to any of their albums as they go off on complete tangents when they play. I wonder if they will get Dave Grohl to play with them.

Glastonbury ends the week with another slice of American pop. Last year it was Stevie Wonder, this year it is Beyonce. I nearly went to see Stevie last year, but the massive crowd, the biggest I have ever seen at the Pyramid was a massive turn off. This year you won’t find me within a mile to see Beyonce. Well thats not strictly true because there is a good chance I will be there before her to see Pendulum. I saw them in 2009 on the Other Stage and they were one of my highlights. I hadn’t heard any of there stuff but they blew me away.The only reason I may not see them is my fear of the Pyramid Stage and the massive crowds that are there, I prefer some of the smaller stages.The rest of the Sunday lineup is pretty much mainstream pop and pretty disappointing, the likes of Don McLean and Paul Simon should be found at the Harvest Festival or on the

Avalon Stage not propping up a tired day at the Pyramid Stage. For me the only other singer I would bother with would be Laura Marling, whose last album is sublime, but I would prefer to see her somewhere much more intimate than at the huge expanses of the Pyramid.

Saturday is looking like a great day to go tenting. That’s the John Peel tent. I have planned most of my day there and to finish off the night there before heading dancing in the early hours of the morning.I will start the day by choosing between Alice Gold and Stornoway, no decision yet made on that one.Then I will grab my gins handbag and head to the John Peel tent for Yuck, Dry the River , Anna Calvi and Warpaint.Pretty damn awesome if you ask me. I’m not sure what I will do after that no firm plans, but will be seeing White Lies at the Other Stage and finish off with Glasvegas. I will probably miss Elbow, as long as I have tickets in place to see them in a cuddly little venue in Sydney in Late July.Then if legs are willing I will set off to finish the evening dancing, with John Digweed, Dave Seaman and Nero.

At least 4 stages at the Dance Village this year that are really of no concern to me this year on the Saturday. They are East Dance, Wow, Pussy Parlure and Cubehenge, so I will wrap the highlights into one preview.I don’t fancy anything at all at East Dance, which is unusual I can usually see myself stopping off there at least once a day. If I am still awake at 3am I might try and find my way to Wow to see Nero, I have heard awesome things about these dub steppers, and there recent single garnered a top ten spot. So Wow could be packed with people or if like last year and it’s freezing fucking cold, I might be tucked up in my sleeping bag in about 5 layers of clothes.That’s it for me, unless someone can tell me if there is anything cool that they fancy that I should check out.

42 DAYS TO GOWhat the fuck is Oxlyers in West, can anyone explain, does it even make sense. Were even the hell is it. Okay from what I have read it is in the Dance Village and is a meeting of the Queens Head and the West Dance tent, so indie meets dance a music celebration like no other.Except there is nothing that I fancy on the Saturday, is there something else like a cool bar a swimming pool or a Jacuzzi that may tempt me.Headlining is John Digweed, and well I quite like John Digweed so there is a slight chance I might head there after Glasvegas timing permitting.The rest of the day doesn’t really tempt me, Brother are interesting in that they sound just like the 93 version of Primal Scream, Cherry Ghost might be worth a visit but for me unless I’m wondering and fancy a rest it’s not looking like I will spend much time there on the Saturday.

I will say it right out, The Park is not my favorite area of the Festival. Don’t get me wrong it is a beautiful area, but it has very little protection from the elements, so I have always felt to hot or to wet or to thirsty as the bars have always been real crowded.
It’s always chocker, in part this is due to the eclectic artists booked but also to the Special Guests that are not advertised and who are always pretty mighty.
Biffy Clyro and Radiohead been last years.
So it would be real easy to go over to The Park to see Graham Coxon and get stuck there for the rest of the day. Tame Impala are on not to long after and the the Special Guest, if anyone has read Emily Eavis comments one of the Special Guests could have been a headliner. We will see.

The lineup on the Other Stage on Saturday is for me a little disappointing, don’t get me wrong it finishes with a flourish with White Lies and The Chemical Brothers who will both play storming sets, I have seen White Lies twice and they were great and if you need to party hard to finish the day or get in the mood for some late night shenanigans then the Chems wills set the seal on the evening.
It’s the rest of the day that doesn’t inspire me, I have never been able to get into that Trans Atlantic rock of the Kills or the disco radio friendly sounds of Friendly Fires.Jessie J just appears to be another over rated pop diva and the others are barely worth a mention,
except that is for Alice Gold who has a quirky back story involving Poker nights and Winnebago’s. Her sound is classic rock but she has energy and is gorgeous to boot, she maybe worth starting the day out with.